CHME 201:

Intro. to Chem. Eng. I

Chapter 4: Material
Balances
Part 1: Sections 4.1-4.3c

The notes are collected from Dr. Mustafa Nasser, Dr. Fadwa ElJack & Prof. Shaheen previous lecture notes
 Objectives

◼ Identify different types of processes.

◼ Introduce the general balance equation.
◼ Apply the general balance equation on
simple steady state and unsteady state
processes

2
 Systems

System: Any arbitrary portion of or a whole process that you want to consider for
analysis
Reactor, the cell, mitochondria, human body, section of a pipe

Closed System
• Material neither enters nor leaves the system
• Changes can take place inside the system

Open System
• Material can enter through the boundaries

3
 4.1 Process Classification
Batch process
The feed is charged into the system at the beginning of the process, and the
products are removed all at once sometime later.
No mass crosses the system boundaries between the time the feed is charged
and the time the product is removed.

Continuous Process
The inputs and outputs flow continuously through the system.

Feed Reactor
Products

4
Semibatch process (Semicontinuous process)
Any process that is neither batch nor continuous. Either the feed or
products are fed into (or taken out) the system at once; and the products
(or reactants) are taken out (or fed into) continuously

5
 Steady State
Steady state is a condition Where the variables of the system (T, P,
composition, flow rates) do not change with time

◼ Nothing is changing with time

◼ @ steady-state accumulation = 0
100 kg/min 100 kg/min
H2O 500 kg H2O
H 2O

Rate of addition = Rate of removal

Unsteady-state (transient)
When one or more variables of the system change with time.
Example 1: Batch and semibatch processes.
Example 2: Initial start-up of continuous processes.
{Input} ≠ {Output}
6
 CONSERVATION OF MASS
Mass is neither created nor destroyed!!! 9

3 5
Reactor

10
11
1
Distillation 4
2

12
13

6 8
Heat
Seperator
Exchanger

14
7

{Input} + {Generation} - {Consumption} – {Output} = {Accumulation}

Conservation of Mass
 4.2 General Balance
Equation

Input + Generation – Output – Consumption = Accumulation

input + generation – output – consumption = accumulation

(enters (produced (leaves (consumed (build up
through within through within within
system system) system system) system)
boundary) boundary)

9
Input + Generation – Output – Consumption = Accumulation

If the balance is on a nonreactive species, the generation and consumption

will be “zero”.
Input – Output = Accumulation
If in addition, the system is steady-state, thus:
Input = Output

10
 4.2a Balances on Continuous Steady
State Processes

For continuous processes at steady state,

0
Input + Generation – Output – Consumption = Accumulation

Input + Generation = Output + Consumption

With no chemical reaction, generation and consumption are “zero”:

Input = Output
 4.2a Balances on Continuous exmaple

◼ Each year, 50,000 people move into a city; 75,000 move out; 22,000 are born; 19,000 die.
Perform a balance on the population of the city (system).
input + generation – output – consumption = accumulation

◼ input: 50,000 people/year

◼ generation: 22,000 people/year
◼ output: 75,000 people/year
◼ consumption: 19,000 people/year
◼ accumulation: unknown

50,000 P/yr + 22,000 P/yr - 75,000 P/yr - 19,000 P/yr = A

A = -22,000 P/yr

∴ the city’s (system) population is decreasing by 22,000 people each year.

 Example 4.2-2
A steady-state continuous process without any chemical reaction is
depicted schematically in the following figure. Determine the unknowns.

With no chemical reaction, generation and consumption are “zero”:

Input = Output

13
Unknowns: 𝑚ሶ 1, 𝑚ሶ 2 (= 2 unknowns) …
We need 2 independent equations.

Benzene Balance
500 kg/h = 450 kg/h + 𝑚ሶ 2 ➔ 𝑚ሶ 2 = 50 kg/h

Toluene Balance
500 kg/h = 𝑚ሶ 1 + 475 kg/h ➔ 𝑚ሶ 1 = 25 kg/h

Check the result ?

Total Mass Balance
1000 = 450 + 𝑚ሶ 1 + 𝑚ሶ 2 + 475
1000 = 1000 OK

14
 4.2c Integral Balances
on Batch Processes
For a batch process through which there is no continuous input and output, the
general energy balance takes the following form:
0 0
Input + Generation – Output – Consumption = Accumulation

Generation – Consumption = Accumulation

Also by definition,
Accumulation = final output – initial input

Equating these two expressions for the accumulation yields:

Generation – Consumption = Final output – Initial input

Initial input + Generation – Consumption = Final output

15
 Example 4.2-3
Two mixtures of Methanol (A) and water (B) are contained in separate
flasks. The first mixture contains 40 wt% A and the second contains 70
wt% A. If 200 g of the first mixture is combined with 150 g of the second,
what are the mass and composition of the product?

With no chemical reaction, Material balance:

0 0
Initial input + Generation – Consumption = Final output

Initial input = Final output

16
Unknowns: m, xA (= 2 unknowns)

We need 2 independent equations.

Total Mass Balance

200 g + 150 g = m m = 350 g
Component (A) Balance
(0.4) (200 g) + (0.7) (150 g) = xA (350 g) xA = 0.529
xB= 1 - xA=0.471
Check or verify? You can use one component balance (water)

Input = output
(200) (0.60) + (150)(0.300) = 350 (1-0.471)
0.60 gH 2O 0.30 gH 2O gH O
200g mix +150g mix = 350g mix ·(1- 0.471) 2
1.00g mix 1.00g mix g mix
165 g H2O = 165 g H2O

17
 4.3. Material Balance
Calculations
Usually given values of some input and output stream
variables
derive equations from process
description and given data

Determine missing variables

INPUT Unit or OUTPUT

Process

In this section we will work on

How to reduce a process description to a set of
equations
18
 4.3a Flowcharts
Boxes and other symbols are used to represent process units.
◼ Write the values and units of all known streams
◼ Assign algebraic symbols to unknown stream variables

Strategy for Analyzing Material Balances

1. Draw a flowchart (sketch) of the process, using boxes to represent process
units (reactors, mixers, separation units, …etc.) and lines with arrows to
represent inputs and outputs.
2. Write down the values and units of all known stream variables at the given
locations. If the units provided are mixed, then convert all to one system of unit.

19
Strategy for Analyzing Material Balances
1. Draw a flowchart (sketch) of the process, using boxes to represent process units
(reactors, mixers, separation units, …etc.) and lines with arrows to represent inputs and
outputs.
Example: Stream contains 21 mol% O2 and 79% N2 at 320 oC and 1.4 atm flowing at a
rate of 400 mol/h

2. Write down the values and units of all known stream variables at the given locations. If
the units provided are mixed, then convert all to one system of unit.

** Note that how much we have can be

given in two ways:
1. total amount/flow rate of the stream
and its composition (xi, yi) or
2. directly as the amount of each
component

20
3. Determine all unknown quantities and composition and label them.

If flow rate is unknown, you might

label the stream as:

If flow rate is known and yi

is unknown, the stream might be
labeled

4. Determine the number of independent balances.

Physical systems:
# of independent material balances = # of components
# of # of # of
Chemical systems:
independent chemical chemical
= –
material species reactions
balances

21
5. If no stream amounts are given in a problem statement, assume one
as a basis of calculation, preferably for a stream with a known
composition. All unknown variables are then determined to be
consistent with this basis.

6. Choose a control volume and write material balance equations on it.

The control volume is the system on which the mass balance will be
conducted.

22
For a problem to be solved, the Degree-of-Freedom which is defined
below should not be greater than “zero”.
ndf =nunknowns – nindependent equations

Note 1: Don’t forget the additional relation(s), if any, given in the problem.

Note 2: Don’t forget implicit equations for mass or mole fractions

åmass fraction=å x =1
åmole fraction=å y=1
7. Check your calculations.

23
 Example 4.3-1:Air Humidification and
Oxygenation

An experiment on the growth rate of certain organisms requires an

environment of humid air enriched with oxygen. Three input streams
are fed into an evaporation chamber to produce an output stream with
the desired composition.

A. liquid water, fed at a rate of 20.0 cm3/min

B. air (21 mol% O2, 79 mol% N2)
C. pure O2 with a molar flow rate 1/5 of that of Stream B
Output gas is found to contain 1.5 mol% water.
Draw and label a flowchart of the process with the above information
and calculate the unknown stream variables

24
 Example 4.3-1:Air Humidification and
Oxygenation

Draw and label a flowchart of the process with the following information and
calculate the unknown stream variables.
Input:
◼ Air (21 mole % O2, the balance N2)
◼ Pure oxygen, one fifth (1/5) of the molar flow rate of input air.
◼ Liquid water, 20 cm3/min
Output: • 1.5 mole % of water
Flowrate of water is given in
units of cm3/min. hence, it is
convenient to use same units
for all flowrates
Once n1 is chosen for air, then
O2 flowrate is 0.200 of n1
Labeling xi or yi,
variables need to be
assigned to NC - 1

25
 Example 4.3-1:Air Humidification and
Oxygenation (cont.)

cm3 g 1 mol
Molar Flow Rate of H2O = 20 1 3  = 1.11 mol/min H2O
min cm 18.02 g
# of unknowns = 3 (n1, n2, y) = 3
# of independent balances = # of components = 3
 ndf = 0 
input = output

Water balance:

 molH2O    mol  0.015 mol H2O 

n 2   = n3   
 min   min  mol 
 molH2O   mol  0.015 mol H2O   mol
 1.11  = n 3     n3 = 74.1
 min   min  mol  min

26
 Example 4.3-1:Air Humidification and
Oxygenation(cont.)

Total mole balance:

0.200n 1 + n 1 + n 2 = n 3
1.200(n 1 ) + (1.11 min
mol
) = (74.1 min
mol
)
n 1 = 60.8 min
mol

Nitrogen balance:

(n 1 min
mol
)(0.79 molmolN ) = n 3 (0.985 − y )(molmolN )
2 2

(60.8 minmol
)(0.79 molmolN ) = (74.1 min
2 mol
)(0.985 − y )(molmolN 2
)
y = 0.337 mol
mol
O2

27
 4.3b Flowchart Scaling
The procedure of changing the values of all stream amounts or flow rates
by a proportional amount while leaving the stream compositions
unchanged is referred to as SCALING the flowchart

◼ scaling up if the final stream quantities are larger than the original
quantities,
◼ scaling down if they are smaller.

28
 4.3b Flowchart Scaling
Mass but not mass fraction (xi) of
all streams can be multiplied by a
common factor

Mass can be changed to mass flow

rate

Mass units for all including mass fraction

(xi) can be changed from kg to g to lbm or
any other mass unit. And process will still
be balanced.

However, you can not scale masses to molar quantities or vice versa by
simple multiplication; conversions of this type must be carried out using
the molecular weights of the streams as studied in Chapter 3

29
 Example 4.3-2
Scale the following flowchart for a continuous feed of 1250 lb-moles/h.

1250 lb-moles/h lb-moles/h

The scale factor is: =12.5
100.0 mol mol
Multiply each stream by the scale factor:
lb-moles/h
Feed =100.0 mol ´12.5 =1250lb - mol / h
mol
Top Product Stream = (50.0)(12.5) = 625 lb-moles/h
Bottom Product Stream = (12.5)(12.5) = 156 lb-moles A/h
and (37.5)(12.5) = 469 lb-moles B/h

30
Mole fractions stay the same (they were previously mol/mol, now
lb-mole/lb-mole with the same values)
Since a balanced process can
always be scaled, material
balance calculations can be
performed on the basis of any
convenient set of stream
amounts and the results can
afterward be scaled to any
desired extent!!

So, if no stream amounts are

given in a problem statement,
assume one as a basis of
calculation. Choose an amount
of a stream with a known
composition.

31
 Home Exercise
Scale up the following flowchart to a feed of 1000 kmol C2H6/h.

32
 Balances on a mixing unit

◼ An aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide

contains 20.0% mass NaOH. It is desired to
produce an 8.0% mass NaOH solution by
diluting with pure water.
◼ Calculate the ratios (liters H2O /kg feed solution)
and (kg product solution/kg feed solution).

33
 Balances on a mixing unit

1. Chose basis of calculation and draw/label

flowchart.

34
 Balances on a mixing unit

1. Chose basis of calculation and draw/label

flowchart.

35
 Balances on a mixing unit

3. Count unknown variables and equations. If these quantities are not equal,
problem cannot be solved.
◼ 3 unknowns: m1, m2, V1 (need 3 equations)
◼ equations:
◼ 2 species → 2 independent material balances
◼ density relates V1 to m1.

36
 Balances on a mixing unit
4. Outline solution procedure:
balances have the form INPUT = OUTPUT
1. NaoH balance contains 1 unknown: m2
2. total mass balance contains 2 unknowns: m1 and m2
3. water balance contains 2 unknowns: m1 and m2
4. density relation contains 2 unknowns: V1 and m1
only need 1 of Equations 2 and 3 above

37
 Balances on a mixing unit

5. NaOH balance (INPUT = OUTPUT):

(0.20 kg NaOH/kg)(100 kg) = (0.80 kg NaOH/kg)(m2)

m2 = 250 kg

38
 Balances on a mixing unit

6. Total mass balance (INPUT = OUTPUT):

100 kg + m1 = m2 =250 kg

m1 = 150 kg

39
 Balances on a mixing unit
7. Diluent water volume:

V1 = m1 / ρH2O = 150 kg / (1 kg/L)

V1 = 150 L

40
 Balances on a mixing unit

7. Ratios:

V1 /100 kg = 150 L / (100 kg) = 1.50 L H2O / kg feed solution

m2 /100 kg = 250 kg / 100 kg = 2.50 kg product solution/

kg feed solution

41
 Take home Example

A stream of humid air with 10 mol% of water enters a condenser in

which 95% of the water vapor in the air is condensed. The flow rate of
the condensate (the liquid leaving the condenser) is measured and
found to be 225 L/h. Dry air may be taken to contain 21 mole%
oxygen, with the balance nitrogen. Calculate the flow rate of the gas
stream leaving the condenser and the mole fractions of oxygen,
nitrogen and water in this stream.

42
Solution

43
Solution

44
Solution (Cont.)

45
Solution (Cont.)

46
Solution (Cont.)

47